Destination Volterra
by AliceKnowsAll
Summary: Set post Eclipse, before Breaking Dawn. Alice and Edward are taken by the Volturi as Aro's most prized additions. Jasper and Bella set off on a journey to save them together, testing Jasper's lust for blood as Bella learns about the most elusive Cullen.
1. Bodysnatchers

**A/N: Wow after like a million years of not writing I'm back and with the always lovely Twilight as my story of choice! I did not think I would ever come up with a solid Twilight fanfiction idea. (Well I dunno how solid this will turn out to be but you know) Anyways, please tell me what you think, reviews are always appreciated as they make me feel loved.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or Jasper sadly. Stephenie Meyer does, that brilliant writer that she is._

Jane's POV

I whistled through the woods that were now becoming very familiar to me. The usual guard was drifting silently behind. Sadly, we were not in for the kill tonight. I would very much have loved to sink my teeth into that annoying human girl, let her feel the pain her mind so handily blocked, but alas we had a far more delicate mission planned.

Aro had been denied something he wanted for a very long time and Aro hated not getting his way. I was happy to please him of course, especially on the more violent missions where pity was not necessary. Pity was not a daily part of my vocabulary, I would much rather watch my victim thrash at my feet than see their eyes fill with that disgusting gratitude. Aro granted too much pity. This mission would be even more fun than the usual search and destroy though. We would be leaving searing emotional scars in our wake. Sometimes mental torment was more fun than physical anyways. I was more apt to it with my gift.

"Jane darling, we're getting close. Let me deal with the mind reader and fortune teller." Alec had suddenly appeared at my shoulder, halting me with a single hand on my arm. The guard stopped instantly behind us, Felix muttering under his breath. He wanted to simply run in and destroy them all, idiot. That would have very negative repercussions for all of us, even if Aro wanted something he was very insistent that we cause as little damage to his dear friend Carlisle as possible. Aro's wrath was very painful. Not that I faced it often, normally _I _was the wrath. Nothing was more effective than the pain I caused.

I watched as the gray mist slithered silently across the grass towards the imposing house, slipping in under the cracks, its victims unaware. We waited in silence for a sign that it had been effective.

"Alice?... Alice are you okay?" The low tones of her mate wafted across the lawn towards us. Alec nodded and we started forwards again. I turned to our ranks, three of them breaking off and melting into the forest, to prevent escape and interruption. Demetri and Felix closed in close behind Alec and I, making sure we wouldn't be hit by surprise attacks; we never knew what this coven could bring. I felt my anticipation grow as we reached the front door, it creaked open silently.

"Carlisle? Are you back? Alice isn't well, I don't know what to do." Her mate sounded worried beyond reason, I could guess that _Alice_ was lying senseless somewhere in the house. I smirked as we headed towards the sound of his voice. We wouldn't sound any different than his family returning home, there were four of us and four of them were missing. He was probably too worried to notice the differences.

I watched the grey smoke drift lazily back towards Alec, we would know when it was time to invade. I heard the faint shifting of fabric as the little one came to.

"Uhhh…"

"Alice! Are y-"

A high gasp issued from her. "Jasper! Jasper look out!"

"What? Alice, I don't understand."

"They're here."

We rushed into the room then. Then blond had caged Alice in his arms in a corner, she clung to him tightly with her face buried into his chest. She was obviously looking for some way out of our foolproof plan. I wondered what she saw in her future and quickly scorned myself for taking interest in her. Edward had thrown himself down the stairs in an effort to keep Bella out of this. He stood at the foot of them like a guard.

"Don't you even think of touching her. I _will_ tear you apart."

I laughed mockingly, looks like he hadn't bothered to delve into out thoughts once he realized we were actually here. "We're not interested in the girl Edward… At least not tonight."

He stiffened, confusion replacing the malice in his features. When he had finished reading into why we were here his eyes narrowed. "I don't think we're going to want that either. Alice and I would rather stay here."

The blond one clutched tighter at Alice, her features were crumpled in defeat. She knew there was no way for escape. With only three vampires, though all were gifted, and one useless human they could never take down our larger number of seven. The rest of their coven wouldn't be back for another twelve hours at the least and we would be long gone by then. She reached up a hand to his face, and they stared intently at each other.

"Well Aro always gives a choice Edward… at least in your case, and I think his offer is going to be quite hard to…"

"Refuse." Alec finished my sentence smoothly. "Whatever is the human girl doing Edward? She hasn't made a peep."

"You kill her? If there's any left I want some." Felix flexed stupidly behind me.

A feral growl ripped from Edward. "She's sleeping!"

"And we wouldn't want to wake her would we?" Alec cut in smoothly.

Edward finally seemed to see reason; his shoulder slumped though his defensive stance remained. "True. What exactly is Aro's offer for me?" He spoke sarcastically, as if he believed no offer would ever tear him away from his _precious _Bella.

I stepped forward, still keeping a fair distance from him. Demetri fell into step behind me. "Aro proposes that you join our ranks in the Volturi as a high ranking official. As one of his _advisors_, as he calls it. It would be a totally new position filled by you-" I looked pointedly at Alice. Her mate growled as he noticed my gaze had shifted, I wonder how he knew, he hadn't stopped looking at her since we came in. "And one other who he thinks would be useful to him."

"I don't accept." He spat the words at me, I returned his gaze unflinchingly.

"You didn't let me finish."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, probably some stupid human habit for dealing with stress. "Continue."

I nodded. "If you join us Aro will be willing to drop suspicions against your little pet."

He watched me seriously. "Meaning…?"

"Meaning that she would be considered trustworthy. As such we would never be required to check up on her. Which means…"

"She could stay human." Edward looked thoughtful now; the chance to leave his little human what she was was a very tempting offer for him.

"You know that isn't what Bella wants Edward." All eyes shifted to Alice, who had spoken for the first time. She didn't look very hopeful and I could see her mate growing increasingly agitated. Just looking at him was making me feel useless and antsy.

"Sometimes Bella doesn't know what's best for her." He watched me closely. "What if I said I would rather make her immortal at a later date and decline the offer?"

I grinned widely. "If you are willing to make her immortal you're going to have to do so now. If you aren't going to join us then Aro told us to treat this as a checkup."

He grimaced. "I thought as much. I know what I want but…" He sighed resignedly. "I don't think there's any other choice."

"Edward don't be stupid!" Alice glared across the room at him. Her mate watched her, confused at her sudden anger in the midst of her defeat.

"Do you think I want to Alice? I can't do that to Bella, it wouldn't be right."

"It's exactly what she wants!" She was whispering now, the anger still present in her voice and I thought I heard the faint rustle of sheets from upstairs.

"Think of Charlie, think of her friends. I know she wants it but this isn't how it should happen, totally unprepared like this. What would the town think if she came to a sleepover here and never came home? Vanished off the face of the earth? That would kill Charlie and her mother too. I know Bella thinks she wants this but I also think she would want me to consider her family and our reputation if she actually thought it through. I'm going to have to do what's best for her… she never does it for herself." What a soppy speech, Aro knew he would choose what's morally right. 'It's in his makeup to be noble.' He had told us before we left. Disgusting.

Edward solemnly made his way towards me. "Can I trust the Volturi's word?"

I smiled sweetly. "Why don't you check for yourself?"

His eyes narrowed in concentration as he sifted through all our minds, looking for some sort of loophole in what Aro had told us. He sighed again. "Aro was very clear she will be safe, I guess I have no choice."

Alec stepped forwards with his hand extended. "Welcome to the Volturi." Edward gazed at his hand for a moment before smacking it out of the way and stalking back to the doorway, leaning against the frame like a moody teenager.

"Manners Edward, Aro always demands that we treat others as we would like to be treated." I giggled softly, knowing how much my next words would annoy him. "After all, we're _family_ now."

He growled incoherently. I turned to Alice next. "Well I'm quite sure you know who the second Advisor would be." I hated how much Aro wanted her; I was supposed to be his crowning gem… well me and Alec.

She turned away from her mate for the second time tonight to fix me with a pointed glare. "Just because he accepted doesn't mean I'm going to. I will personally turn Bella into a vampire tonight if you give me that offer."

I was tempted to smile angelically and use my power on her but Aro had specifically said not to harm Edward, her or the human girl unless Edward didn't agree with our offer. I was so tempted; it might be worth Aro's wrath. No one ever looks at me like that and gets away with it. "Alice your case is very different from Edward's, in your case there is no choice. Aro wants you far too much to give you a choice."

Her mate growled viciously at this. "And _what_ exactly are you planning to do about this? The Volturi always give a choice, it's law." I could feel the despair emanating from him in steady waves, his former view of our fairness and nobility was being shattered before his eyes.

"Jasper…" Alice stroked her fingers along his jawbone gently. He buried his face in her little shoulder, breathing deeply.

"As I said, Aro wants your Alice very much-" I paused for a moment, trying to remember the name Aro had given us. It came to me after a moment; I never bothered to learn names. If I wasn't ever going to see them again why should it matter? "Jasper." I was getting impatient, the lack of action was boring me.

"_But she doesn't want to join you." _He hissed the words through his teeth. Such disrespect. I clenched my fists angrily.

"_Her opinion doesn't matter. And yours for that matter." _I hissed back. Alec silently glided over and took one of my clenched hands, it relaxed automatically into his and he turned to Jasper.

"What Jane is trying to say is that Alice is very important to Aro and of course he has considered her happiness but she is too useful to be left to her own devices. He has to put the needs of the vampire society into consideration over the wants of the individual. Alice could help prevent a lot of problems. If you think of it that way then we _must_ have her in the Volturi."

Edward snorted from his position against the door frame. I glared at him. "No one asked for _your_ opinion."

He smirked. "Manners Jane."

I growled in response, turning my back on him. How I wished that Aro didn't want this insolent vampire for his ranks, he was practically _human_.

The blond was seething with rage. "Bullshit."

Alec looked surprised. "What was that?" I expected it much more; this coven was barely refined compared to us.

"I said _bullshit_. Aro wants her for himself. This is one trophy he can't have." He looked down at Alice with wondering eyes, like she actually _was_ some sort of priceless trophy he had been lucky enough to win. What a stupid sap, there isn't anything special about her aside from the fact Aro wanted her. She isn't even that pretty, really. He set her down gently and stood defensively in front of her.

I turned and faced him head on, smiling angelically at him. He stiffened and then was thrashing on the ground at his mate's feet, his long frame contorting in agony, the pain clearly written on his features.

Alice screeched as she threw herself down beside him. "Stop it!"

I heard a mild scuffle and turned to see Felix restraining Edward who was trying with all his might to storm me. I'm sure he thought my use of torture was unfair. Jasper gave a low moan of suffering.

I almost didn't catch the black blur as she launched herself at me but she was swiftly trapped in Demetri's grip inches from my face. I crinkled my nose in disgust as she continued to thrash desperately. Demetri dragged her further away from me.

"Stop hurting him! You don't want him!" My gaze remained unblinkingly on her suffering mate and her shrill screams quickly turned to sobs as she realized she couldn't break free. She watched her mate's tortured expression for a moment before turning to look at me. "Please… please stop hurting him. I'll do anything."

"_Anything?"_ I questioned her. I quite enjoyed the way his suffering caused her to suffer as well.

She nodded weakly. "Anything."

"Let her go Demetri. She knows what we want."

He set her gently on her feet, too gently in my opinion. She drifted like a lost puppy to Jasper, kneeling at his side, brushing some golden hair from his face. "I will join you… if you'll never hurt Jasper again. I'll be hurting him enough by leaving."

"We accept your request. Welcome to the Volturi Alice." Alec's voice masked his excitement very well. He had been as eager as Aro for Alice to join us. I didn't understand either of their views.

She nodded gently, cradling Jasper's head in her lap. "Could you stop now?" She didn't bother looking up at me.

"Jane." Alec looked at me with a stern expression. After another moment longer I looked away from Jasper and he slumped weakly on the ground. I heard Felix place Edward back on his feet, Edward growling in response to his grunt.

Alice stroked his face with a tenderness that repulsed me. "Jasper… Jasper…"

His eyes fluttered open at the sound of her voice. "Alice." He shifted into a sitting position, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her into his side. She sighed with relief.

"You're okay."

He nodded. "Of course… Alice what's wrong?" She had started to dry sob into his chest. "I'm okay now, we'll be okay. Shhh… tell me what's wrong." Almost as if he was oblivious to all the onlookers he slipped a hand under her chin and turned her head to face him.

A shudder wracked her frame. "I-I have to leave Jasper. Please take care of Bella and the family. Can you do that for me… please?"

He stiffened, his arm becoming a restraint around her rather than a comfort. "You. Are. Not. Leaving. Me."

She sighed, taking the hand under her chin into her own. "I have to Jasper… I don't _want_ to." Her hands stroked his gently as she gazed at him. I wondered how much longer this was going to go on. Maybe if I used my power on him again, Demetri could throw her under his arm and we could be off before he could catch us. It would take a moment for him to get up on his feet again. "I don't want them to hurt you anymore, I can't _stand _it Jasper."

He must have felt her determination, seen the sickening love welling in her eyes as she said his name. Something in him cracked and he was the one sobbing. Alice pulled him close to her and planted a lingering kiss on his forehead. "Alice." He moaned her name as if he was in immense pain. As if I was torturing him again. She tilted his head up towards her and placed her lips gently against his, he responded hungrily and soon they were both wrapped up together, kissing and crying. It was the most confusing thing I had ever seen. How can you love through such sadness? This coven is the most backward thing in vampire society. Even those other weirdoes in Denali wouldn't react in that way, I was sure.

She must have decided it was enough because she broke the kiss. "I love you, always remember that. Wherever I am whatever I do, if I never see you again know that I love you more than my life. There will never be anyone I could ever love as much as I love you Jasper Whitlock." She placed another lingering kiss on his forehead before stepping back. Their expressions crumbled at the same moment and he clutched at her weakly as she drifted solemnly to our side of the room, beside Edward.

He wrapped an arm around her as she cried. "I'll take care of her for you Jasper… Please, please make sure Bella is safe." How much longer could this go on! How could they form such attachments with each other! Edward turned to me. "May I say goodbye to her?"

I sighed exasperatedly. "If you have to." He flashed up the stairs, making Alice look very small by herself. He was back in less than two minutes, a look of quiet resolution on his face.

"We should probably go now, she'll be waking soon."

Alec nodded. "Alright, round up the rest of the guard Demetri."

"Of course." He was out the door in a flash. I looked over my shoulder one last time at Jasper, he was heaped on the floor where we left him. He looked up and met my gaze with one of such hatred it could have belonged on my face.

"Why? WHY!?" He threw himself towards me in an attempt to rip me apart I was sure. Felix was ready and had him in a tight grip before he was even half way across the room. This caused Alice to break into fresh sobs. I started towards him but Alec was there before I took more than two steps.

"There's some rules you're going to have to follow Jasper."

Demetri came to the door then, Edward dragged Alice out beside him. "They're not going to hurt him Alice."

Jasper glared at Alec, though he had stopped trying to fight Felix. "Why should I listen to you?"

"If you don't follow them there could be very bad repercussions for Alice."

He shuddered. "What then?"

"We don't want the others to get suspicious of your little friends' actions. You're going to have to tell them they went of their own free will. They'll be calling later on, once they're settled in to confirm your story and Aro will want to talk to Carlisle. If he feels Carlisle is too suspicious, if he thinks you might have told him the truth… it won't bode well for Alice."

He nodded in defeat. "I'll the others what you want as long as Alice is safe."

"I thought so." He stepped closer to Jasper. "Goodnight, I'm sure it will feel good to have something close to sleep." The gray mist took effect before Jasper could ask what he meant. Felix put him down on the living room floor and we ran into the night, our two new unwilling charges were waiting outside, surrounded by the guard.

"We're ready to be off now." Alec addressed the guard evenly. "Everything has been taken care of." They all nodded, looking relatively pleased. Alec and I made our way to the front, ahead of Felix and Demetri in case our _Advisors_ felt the need to vent their anger on us.

Alec nodded at me and we were whistling through the familiar woods once again.

**A/N: So there it is! Chapter one is Bodysnatchers by Radiohead, it's a good song so you should check it out. I managed to get a line from The Host in there, gold stars for anyone who can figure it out! (It's really not that hard if you read the book anyways, I love that book with a passion.) I really hope this chapter was okay, next one should get into the plot a little more, this was just the base for the story. Please review if you think this is worth continuing, reviews make me smile.**


	2. Empty

**A/N: Hello everyone! This isn't as soon as I wanted to get this out but I've been crazy busy and I wanted to think this through completely so I would have an idea of what I'm doing. I think I know now so it's all good. Thanks soo much to all of you who reviewed, alerted and faved! I was thrilled to get those lovely emails from fanfiction. I hope all you wonderful people enjoy this chapter!**

**Jasper's POV**

The world spun sickeningly around me. It was a strange feeling, this disorientation. For nearly 200 years I had always know exactly what was going on around me, always alert, always ready. This strange feeling of the unknown made me feel almost human. It made me feel… uneasy.

I tried to remember what had happened before there was nothing. My mind battled against the fog clouding it, struggling for the answers. I knew that I had been angry, unbelievably angry. The atmosphere had been tainted with sorrow and hatred, similar to my first environment as an immortal. And Alice… Alice was in danger.

It all came to me then and I flew to my feet with a hiss. They were taking my Alice from me. I scanned the climate of emotions quickly, besides the incoherent sleepy feeling coming from Bella there was no emotion nearby. I stalked to the front door and gazed out into the forest, breathing deeply. I could faintly smell the soft, sweet scent of my Alice lingering on the breeze.

I followed it swiftly through the woods, my nose twitching in distaste at the overly bitter citrus scent of Jane. I burst through the trees onto a stretch of lonely highway. The scent stopped here. I guessed they had taken a vehicle to stop the trail. I looked down the empty highway, the very metaphor of myself. I felt empty, the blank shock overshadowing anything else. They had taken my Alice, she was gone. Forced to spend eternity in a black cloak, Aro's favourite little pet. And I would be more alone than I'd ever been in my whole existence. Alice, my hope, my life, my everything was gone. I had failed her.

The crushing feeling of failure, the overwhelming guilt… the feelings of my new life. The blank stretch of eternity I would be forced to bear. I knew I couldn't end my existence. Alice would know and I had sworn I would never hurt her intentionally. I was doomed to live as I once did, aimlessly wandering without purpose. As much as I was fond of my family I couldn't stay there without Alice. I couldn't bear to be around them, surrounded by their eternal love when mine was so far from me.

I had to go back there one last time though, in keeping with Alec's threatening promise. As long as I held my end of the bargain Alice could continue living, even if I was to never see her again. I couldn't imagine a world without my Alice living somewhere in it.

My hands clenched into fists, my features twisting with sorrow. I ran headlong into the forest, not bothering to check where I was going. I couldn't face anyone convincingly like this. I finally slowed halfway up one of the mountains beyond our clearing. Alice and I used to climb them on sunny days when we had nothing better to do. I could almost picture her perched upon that boulder, chirping at me curiously, wondering what had me down. My fists flew forward in a spasm of agony and the boulder was dust beneath my feet. It was starting to get light and I debated on how much longer the others would be gone. How much more time I could spend with my sorrow when I realized that Bella was back at our house… alone.

I was whistling through the woods towards the house before I had even consciously decided to. I didn't know much about the shy clumsy girl who spent so much time with us, but I knew how Edward felt about her. I owed it to him to keep her safe. I wrenched open the front door and closed it with a soft snap. She was still sleeping, completely unaware of any of the recent happenings. I wandered into the living room and sprawled across a couch; I could watch Bella and be alone with my sorrow from here. At least I had hunted the day before. My throat almost didn't burn at her flowery smell.

I don't know how much time had passed before I was woken from my stupor by soft footsteps on the stairs. I could feel her confusion and chagrin at having woken without Edward there. I waited for her to enter my line of sight, humans moved much slower than we did. Finally she reached the final flight and her confusion changed to alarm when she spotted me alone on the couch. She finished the last few steps and stood awkwardly across the room from me. "Jasper…? Where's Edward?... And Alice?"

I sighed heavily, she wasn't oblivious to the heartbreak on my face, it was only making her more alarmed. She was very observant for a human. I tried to compose my expression. "Come sit down Bella." My throat throbbed having her in the same room as me. The sorrow burned stronger though. I would be able to talk to her without slipping; for once I was confident of that.

She settled herself on the farthest armchair from me, tripping once on the way over. I would do her more harm than good if I tried to catch her. I waited for her to get comfortable and then… I didn't know what to say. Should I tell this observant human the truth? That her best friend and her true love had been captured by the Volturi? Or would I tell her the lie I was already planning to tell the others? Alice and Edward had seen something in Aro's offer and had gone to negotiate with him; they would call in a few days with their decision. The more I thought about it, the more conflicted I grew. Could I trust her?

I examined her wide, thoughtful eyes, the truthful openly trusting expression on her face. She barely knew me and she was prepared to accept whatever I told her. She loved our family that much. I thought of how I had ruined everything she had worked for, back when she had cut her finger… I shied away from the memory as I remembered the scent of her blood, so strong… so fresh. Instead, I thought of our move. When we had left without explanation. Alice had taken me to visit her once, when the visions had vanished. To make sure she was alive. Her feelings were stronger than any human's I had ever felt before. The longing, the despair, the loneliness were almost as strong as ours. I had been the root of that, the root of all these troubles. I couldn't cause that kind of pain to someone again. I couldn't lie to her.

"Bella… can you keep a secret?"

Her eyes grew wider still and she nodded timidly. "Of course." I could feel her curiosity. She wanted to know what I had to say but she hadn't assumed something bad had happened. She probably thought Alice had dragged Edward off to do some wedding planning and had sworn me to secrecy. A wedding that wouldn't happen.

"When you were sleeping… did you hear anything unusual?" It would be easier if I had something to work with.

She shook her head. "No, maybe a little hissing but I thought Alice was harassing Edward again or something. I never completely woke up." This would make things more difficult. Where to begin?

I decided that the beginning would be most appropriate, that was where most stories, or nightmares began. "We had some… _visitors_ last night." I hissed the word through clenched teeth.

Her face immediately paled. "No!" She mouthed the word, too horrorstruck to voice it. "Was it… them?"

I nodded weakly. "The Volturi, Jane and the gang. They found a way around Alice and Edward's powers and managed to get in."

Her expression grew more worried as she took this in. "Were they- were they looking for _me_?" I could tell that this bothered her, the people she loved being harmed to defend her. She was always oozing selflessness. The fear emanating from her now was starting to make me feel antsy, her emotions were so strong. It wasn't normal for a human. Maybe she was something else entirely.

I shook my head. "No, they weren't here for you." I expected her to relax but she remained tense, still worrying. She was more worried about my Alice and her Edward than she was about her own personal, fragile life. Much too selfless for a human. She was still confused so I tried to think of some way to explain this to her without her jumping to far worse conclusions, how to make her understand without testing my restraint. Restraint which was continually growing thinner as she sat across from me, so alive… so fragrant smelling… so trusting. I shook my head; this was no time for falling to weakness, to old patterns. I needed her help to keep Alice alive. "Did Edward ever tell you much about Aro? What he was thinking when he met you all?"

Her brow scrunched with thought. "He said that he was very interested in all of us. Aro thought I would be a very gifted immortal if Edward would change me…"

"You remember Aro's power right?" I prompted her gently, I was sure Edward had spoken more of his concern for her rather than the concern he had for himself and Alice.

She nodded. "Aro can see every thought a person's ever had. Once he touches them. Except for me." She thought about it a moment longer. I kept quiet to allow her to think. I heard her small gasp as the pieces finally fell together. "Alice can see visions of the future, and Edward can hear the thoughts in people's heads. If Aro knows what they had been thinking or doing, Edward knows how they feel at the current moment, from a distance and Alice can tell what they might be planning. The past, present and future. Aro wants to be unstoppable."

I nodded, she was very intelligent. She picked up on things almost instantly; it was a pity Edward hadn't changed her sooner. She would have made a perfect immortal. Very gifted. Of course, she was incredibly hard to predict so she was constantly catching everyone off guard. "I thought you liked the Volturi Jasper." She looked down at her hands as she blushed, I griped the arm of the couch and it moaned uncertainly. Now wasn't the time to be weak. "It actually always annoyed me how you referred to them so respectfully… I always kind of considered them the bad guys."

I chuckled emotionlessly, the hollow empty sound of someone who no longer knows happiness. "It seems you were right about them."

It was silent for a moment as we were both lost in our own thoughts. I wondered how long I would have to explain to her, what we would both do without the cores of our existence. She at least, had a lifespan. Eventually her suffering would end when her life did and she would go wherever mortals go after life. I, on the other hand, would live a half life for the rest of my existence. I almost envied her mortality at that moment, _almost_. The uselessness she was always feeling was enough to make me grateful for what I had.

She broke the silence, as I knew she would eventually. I had barely explained anything to her. "Jasper… what did happen?"

I sighed and recounted the story to her, every detail aside from my parting with Alice. She seemed to know I was sensitive on that subject and didn't press for more even though I was sure she knew our goodbye was more than a simple one. I didn't like how Edward always kept things from her under the pretense of protecting her. I agreed with the wolf on that one, not telling her only made things worse, only made her feel more useless. I was sure Edward had no idea how very weak she felt constantly, the knock her self esteem took when she looked at herself next to him, next to our whole family. It was cruel to keep her human like this when I could feel her longing so strongly for what we had, for the chance to actually feel like his equal. I probably understood Bella better than most of our household, though I barely knew anything about her aside from how she felt around us.

She made an annoyed growling sound, probably attempting to sound fierce. "I don't know why he didn't just change me then. Stubborn vampire."

"It would have been pointless in the end. Aro wants him pretty badly and they were preying on his weakness. He would have felt guilty for all of eternity if he changed you right then and they probably were under orders to take him anyways. It wouldn't have saved Alice either way." I growled. "Aro was much too selfish to let her have a choice."

She made a funny sounding noise and I looked over curiously. Crystal-like tears were running down her face. "Bella… don't cry. Even if he isn't with you, he's alive. He wouldn't want you to be sad for the rest of your life."

The sounds got louder. "But that's just it. My life! Not my eternity! You have the rest of your existence to try and get her back. I have my life! It's not enough time! I'm not strong enough! It's all my fault I destroyed your family in the first place and I can't even fix it!"

A thought struck me then, something I hadn't thought of before. Getting Alice back. I had thought of this as a final separation, but it didn't have to be that way. I was sure if I tried hard enough there would be some way to get in, some way to find her. Bella had such an interesting mind, it always came up with different solutions. Of course I could save Alice! I would have to be very careful no one knew my intentions but I was sure it would be possible. I could almost hug her for giving me this new perspective. _Almost_ because I was sure she didn't want to die, no matter how miserable she was at the moment.

She sniffled a little from her seat, wiping at her eyes with her hand. Before she could blink I was back with a Kleenex box sitting on the arm of her chair. "Thanks." She started to dab halfheartedly at her eyes.

A sudden thought came to me. "Bella, all of the things I've just told you have to stay between me and you okay? No one else in the family can know… If I think you're going to slip I _will_ have to kill you. You're my sister but I won't let Alice be hurt."

She nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't want any of them hurt. Kill me if you need to; just make it quick if you can help it." She felt… touched? I told her I might have to kill her and she's touched? Was it because I let her in on the secret? But she didn't feel like that before when I was telling her, only scared and horrified. Maybe it was because I called her my sister. That had to be it. But I thought she knew that we all thought of her that way, excepting Edward of course. She was family now.

I heard the faint sound of Emmett's booming laugh in the distance. I almost groaned, I loved my family but I still didn't feel like seeing them right now. I could feel Bella's curiosity as she watched the grimace spasm across my face. "They're almost home. Another couple of minutes."

The same expression flickered across hers followed with doubt. I was sure she was wondering if she could keep up the cover.

"Don't worry Bella, you don't have to say much. You're grieving. Just cry and blow your nose and agree with what I say. I'll help you so you won't get worried. After the initial few days you can get away from all this. Try and live a full human life."

I could tell by the stubborn curve of her lips that she wasn't enchanted with my idea of a full human life but there was no time to argue Edward's original plan for her.

With a soft creak, the door swung open.

**A/N: So that's chapter two! Hope you all liked it. It pains me so to make Jasper suffer. I do apologize to him for that. Chapter title is Empty by The Cranberries, listen if you want. And of course… Review! Review! Review! I love to hear what you're thinking!**


	3. Rebellion Lies

**A/N: Yes I know it has been a long time for this story. I am truly sorry. I got busy and then fell out of my story writing pattern and then when I did get back into writing I already had another story idea I wanted to work with. I suppose that's what happens when you have an unbalanced attention span like mine. But getting past the excuses I decided it would be good to give it another shot. Hopefully it will go as good as it did before. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! I appreciate your encouragement; it's what makes me remember to write when I forget. Chapter title is by Arcade Fire. They're truly excellent and their music along with String Quartet covers is what fuels my muse so please give them a listen.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters._

**Jasper's POV**

There was a short pause before Emmett bounded obliviously through the front door, breaking the thick tension that seemed draped over the once comforting house like a blanket. "We're hommmmmmeeee!"

The lighter footsteps of Rosalie followed. "Emmett, shut up for a minute. Something feels off." Trust Rosalie to be the more observant one. Emmett was lucky to have her; she was the only thing stopping him from running headlong into trouble and in many cases, possible death.

Thinking about the way they complemented each other only reminded me that I was short one half of myself. I cringed away from the betraying idea and focused on Bella instead. I would have to be sure she could keep up her end of the deal. Alice's wellbeing depended on this fragile human. Again I cringed internally. It would be impossible not to think of her, I would just have to try to conceal the worst of my sufferings. Even if Alice had chosen to leave of her free will I would still have been in pain over our separation so my depression wouldn't be too far from normal.

Emmett grumbled quietly under his breath as Carlisle and Esme drifted in after Rosalie. Emmett was my favourite of my two brothers but it didn't mean that he didn't annoy me occasionally like he did everyone else. Right now his complete and utter ignorance to our current situation was very infuriating but, as it was nothing compared to the crushing pain of my separation from Alice I remained where I was and waited for him to clue in himself.

"Rosalie's right Emmett. It seems we had some intruders while we were out." I heard them all grow still aside from Emmett who swore under his breath as he figured out what Carlisle was saying.

"But why would the Volturi choose to come visit now? Alice said that they weren't planning to check up on Bella for another year or so. Maybe it was a friendly visit?" Usually Esme's eternal postivity and passiveness provided a plesant environment for me to dwell in. When Alice and I had first joined the coven I had spent any of the rare moments away from her shadowing Esme as she was generally so cheerful that it made me feel happy. Her mention of Alice and the suggestion that the Volturi could come for peaceful reasons only added to my irritation.

The growing anger did give me an idea though so I allowed it to continue to build. I looked at Bella out of the corner of my eye. She was crying quietly but controlled in an armchair. I sent her a wave of sadness and when her gaze darted to my face in confusion I only pleaded with her with my eyes. She seemed to guess that I had a reason for my behaviour and didn't try to fight the depression though I'm sure it reminded her of the time when I had caused Edward to leave not so long ago. I was always hurting this strange human girl and I vowed to myself to somehow make it up to her.

Rosalie was quick to shoot down Esme's assumption. "Since when do the Volturi ever pay us friendly visits?"

I steadily increased the waves of sadness I was sending towards Bella until her quiet crys turned into full fledged sobs of anguish. The sound seemed to snap the rest of my family out of their discussion. "Ohhh the others! How could we have left them alone like that?"

Carlisle tried to comfort Esme. "How were we to know that they were planning to pay us a visit last night? They must have figured out a way around Alice. Why don't we go and take care of Bella? Maybe she can tell us what happened."

I must have been very still for them to think that I had been taken away like the others. The dread of having to explain my suffering and feed my family lies had turned me into a living statue. If Bella hadn't reminded me that hope still existed I might have become something like this in the near future. The idea of a frozen existence sent a shiver up my spine.

"Jasper?! Where are Alice and Edward?" My family stood shocked in the archway of the living room, various expressions of surprise on their faces. Bella's sobbing provided a depressing serenade for this stage of deception. I took a deep breath, ignoring the faint burn at the scent of Bella, and pictured Jane's smug expression as my Alice was taken from me.

"Alice and Edward have decided that there are things more important than this family." I spat the words out venomously, surprised that the actual fluid had not accompanied their passage. Esme flinched away from my raw rage into Carlisle who placed a comforting hand on her arm.

"What do you mean more important things?" Rosalie narrowed her eyes accusingly as if I was the one who had sent them away. Her feelings were always harsher than the rest of the family's. I couldn't understand her constant longing for a human life when she had such a gifted life here and as such we had never been close. I could always feel her hidden annoyance when I had to share her surname and it always annoyed me that she would never let me use mine. I loved her like a sister of course but she was the one member of my immortal family I never felt quite in synch with.

I cut my musings short as I felt the heat of their curiosity. I had always been prone to getting off tangent within the confines of my mind. "We had a visit from another _family_ with what seemed to be an intriguing offer for the two of them. They've gone to Volterra to discuss it with Aro himself."

Esme stepped forward, hand extended as if to comfort me. She paused at the livid expression on my face and went to comfort Bella instead. Emmett looked completely shocked beyond belief. "But what about you and Bella? Did they just decide to ditch you both here?"

"Apparently so." I pictured Jane's face rather than Alice's, working up the anger rather than the sadness. I would be terribly angry at the apparent betrayal of Alice and Edward where as Bella would be completely grief-stricken. So much so that she could hardly speak of the occurrence. Hopefully this way I would be able to get her through this alive. She had been such a comrade so far, the only one who understood of my suffering, and I would be sad to lose her.

Esme stroked Bella's hair gently. I sent a faint wave of trust out to the rest of my family, hoping that it would allow them to overlook any slips on Bella's part. "Do you remember any of this Bella, sweetie?"

Bella hiccupped through a couple of sobs before replying. "I was s-s-s-s-sleeeeping w-when he l-left me." She took a deep breath as if in an attempt to steady herself. "He didn't even s-say goodb-bye."

Esme patted her hand comfortingly. "Shhhhh Bella dear. You don't have to talk anymore about this." Bella nodded in assent and leaned her head against Esme's shoulder, seeming to find it comfortable in spite of the cold. It never ceased to amaze me how comfortable she was around us.

I could tell Carlisle was a little uneasy, I could feel it almost like a faint scent on a breeze. "What kind of offer did they give them Jasper?" He seemed to be considering what kind of offer would be tempting enough to lure them away from their mates and their makeshift family unit. He was probably assuming correctly that nothing would sway them but I would attempt to make him see otherwise.

"I don't know. The general stuff, protection for Bella and the family, power, the chance to have an influence over the world population of vampires. They probably think they're helping to make things better." I sent out a little more trust and watched their expressions until it looked like they all bought it. Esme's crumpled in hurt, Rosalie looked livid like myself, Emmett was just confused and Carlisle had the most painful expression of betrayal on his face. It hurt to look at his the most so I turned away from them all, gazing out the glass wall as I rose slowly to my feet. "I'm going to go outside. This place reeks of the Volturi."

They all nodded as they sank down onto various pieces of furniture, staring blankly into space. I was instantly out the door and to the end of the yard. I sprawled myself out on the grass before the river. I felt strangely exhausted, the idea of crossing the river and running for miles to get some more peace felt daunting so I remained where I was and contemplated everything.

Alice was safe for now. The family believed that they had seen something in the offer and would be deep in discussion with Aro shortly. I would've breathed a sigh of relief that at least I could do that for my better half, ensure her a future no matter how bleak, but I was still barely within earshot of the house. I didn't think my family would be too curious as to what I was up to at this moment but after coming so far it would be the greatest of failures to give it all away with one relived sigh. At least in a twisted way I could be thankful that Edward had been one of the ones taken. Having to guard my thoughts while fooling the family and planning a risky rescue would have given me a nervous breakdown.

Now I needed to focus on formulating a rescue mission, which at the moment practically seemed like suicide. I would have to be very, very sure of success in order to prevent any agony on Alice's part. I would have to manage to save them and come out of it all alive or the plan would be useless. But facing the Volturi and all of their guard seemed like an almost impossible task. Exhausting, like everything else I had been faced with so far today.

I was trying to think of an excuse as to why I would be going on an extended vacation from the family for some time, which actually wasn't proving to be so hard since the family understood the main reason I was there was Alice, when I heard footsteps heading in my direction. Loud, clumsy, uneven footsteps. It was obvious that Bella or not it was highly unlikely they could cause me harm so I remained in my sprawled out position.

After what seemed like ages there was a soft thunking sound and I turned my head to see Bella sitting cross legged beside me with an intent expression and a notepad in her lap. She popped the top off a pen and started writing across the first page of the book. After a moment she held it up towards me.

**Can they hear us from here?**

I nodded very slowly. She immediately started writing again.

**Thought so_._**

I pulled myself upright and held my hands out. She passed me the book and the pen, being very careful not to touch my skin. No matter how comfortable she felt around my family she understood how dangerous I was. The weakest link. How I loathed my lack of self control, it was always holding me back. It was one of the many things I kept on a mental checklist of why I wasn't good enough for Alice. A list of self loathing just boiling under the surface of my icy exterior, always kept at bay by my angel, my ray of sun. There was nothing stopping it now.

I quickly formed my question on paper, my elegant script making hers look like chicken scratch.

_Where did you find the pen and paper? And where does everyone else in the house think you are?_

I felt her self esteem take a hit as I passed the book back to her. Maybe I wasn't the only one who felt this way.

**I told them I just wanted to go outside and try and relax. I said writing helps me relax so Carlisle got me these from his study.**

She was very intelligent for a human girl. Even without my help she had managed to find her own way outside.

_You've done very well Bella._

This writing was also easier on the burn in my throat. It allowed me to communicate without breathing. Edward had asked me to take care of Bella and killing her mid-conversation was not something he would approve of. Bella smiled weakly and held her hands out for the book again.

**So what's the game plan going to be?**

I cocked my head to the side. Game plan?

_What do you mean?_

I could feel her anxiety as the pen danced across the paper. She was probably writing as fast as she could but her human speed was not helping my faint curiosity. Finally the book was back in my lap.

**Aren't we going on a rescue mission? I mean we have to do something to save them. We're the only ones who know the truth about what happened to them.**

I stared at the book in shock. She seriously thought she was coming on this mission with me? This was the absolute opposite of safe. If I took her with me Edward would be furious. Though I had been hoping that Alice wasn't checking in on our affairs, otherwise my planning's may become evident to Aro and I would be 'dealt with' swiftly. As long as Alice didn't know what we were up to Edward didn't know what we were up to. Still not the greatest idea though.

_We're not going on a rescue mission. I'M going on a rescue mission but WE are not._

"Oh come on!" I clapped a hand over her mouth as quickly and gently as I could and we both waited to see if anyone had noticed. Two minutes passed slowly with only a strained joke from Emmett that Bella must've tripped again. I could feel the warmth of her breath on my palm as she exhaled. Her heart was racing with the fear of being discovered; such a soft wet sound… I leaned in without thinking, taking a deep breath. She smelled sweet and warm, so alive…

And then I saw her eyes, open wide with fear and realized that my lips were at the nape of her neck, poised to bite. I sprung into a flip away from her, landing at the far corner of our yard. I started breathing hard as if I had just run a marathon, forcing clean air into my lungs. Her hands rose to her throat, her breathing just as fast as mine. We watched each other from across the clearing.

Five minutes passed before I was sure I could control myself again. I had just hunted two days ago. Pathetic. Edward holds her every night and I can't even touch her without wanting to kill her. I started towards her at human speed, careful not to make sudden movements, but she didn't seem scared anymore. I tested the atmosphere around her. She was sad and very impatient but I couldn't trace any fear on her. I picked up the pace in response to her impatience, reaching her in under a minute. I stood awkwardly a few feet away from her. She raised her hand slowly and beckoned towards me as if _I_ was the one who had been scared. As soon as I was seated next to her again she started scrawling across the page.

**Why can't I come with you?**

I shook my head as I replied.

_Did you not just see what happened? I have no self control. I'm worthless. I've already ruined everything for you before. Just let me go and try to make it right._

**You are not worthless. I'm the worthless one and for once I want to help. There's nothing you could do that would scare me. If we don't save Edward I wouldn't want to live anyways.**

I sighed. As much as I wanted to keep denying her, I had yet to see how she could be of use to me, I understood how she felt. She also struggled with feeling weak, how could I deny her a chance for strength? If our situations were reversed I would want as much from her. I also understood her feelings on her fragile life. As much as Edward wanted it there would be no normal human life for this girl. Fate had forced her into the world of the supernatural and who was I to fight it this time? Like everything else in our lives we both seemed to be in over our heads.

_Get on my back, if you can trust me. I'll take us out of earshot._

Her whole expression lit up. There was definitely no issue of trust in this case. I took the notebook from her hands and neatly ripped out the pages we had written in, shredding them into confetti sized pieces and sprinkling them into the river where they were sucked away by the current. Then I turned my back to her and sucked in a deep breath. She waited until I lowered my arms before climbing on as quickly as she could. I felt the familiar red haze cloud my vision as her heat quickly seeped through the thin sweater I was wearing but I shoved it from my mind, instead thinking of the safest place to go. I scanned through a few clearings me and Alice had frequented before I settled on a less painful choice.

I glanced over my shoulder at Bella. She returned my gaze with calm determination. Then I was running, off into the woods. Holding the only remaining shred of hope on my back and fighting whether or not to drain that hope dry.


	4. Time Is Running Out

**A/N: Hello everyone! I know it has been a terribly long time but I'm finally back with another chapter. School has been draining much of my time and muse so this chapter has been sitting half completed for months. Now that it's Christmas break I've been able to finish it so… yay! I want to thank everyone who has reviewed and faved and just generally shown love towards this story. I love writing it and I'm happy to know that people love reading it as well. Chapter title is by Muse, I just happened to remember the name of the song and it is very, very catchy so if you have time, give it a listen.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters._

We had arrived at the clearing much sooner than I intended to. I had wanted the time spent running to contemplate what exactly I could say to dissuade Bella from ever wanting to go anywhere alone with me, though of course that in itself was ironic and impossible as she was already heading somewhere alone with me without so much as a second thought. The second option of agreeing to take Bella with me was becoming more and more likely with every second that passed as with the scent of her blood in the air and the heat of her body against my back I could barely think of anything other than how to restrain myself from absorbing that very heat into my own cold form. This in turn had caused me to increase my speed so as to get her away from me before I did something I would most definitely regret. My ten minutes to think had morphed into five minutes in hell and now I was standing on the complete opposite end of the clearing from her with my mind reeling to catch up. When I finally managed to almost forget the sweet warm scent of her I was able to think and what I saw concerned me.

Bella was looking around the meadow we had come to with an expression reminiscent of watching something getting mangled. She looked completely and utterly horrified. When she noticed me watching she struggled briefly with herself and managed to morph her expression into something nonchalant and uncaring though barely so.

"Is there something wrong with this place?" Even though I couldn't see it I could feel the waves of agony simply oozing off of her in waves. It made my still heart catch in my chest as if it had just been beating. I tried to send some waves of calm and comfort to combat her sadness, not only for herself but for my own wellbeing.

She took a long, deep breath before responding. "Oh, it's nothing really. I've just been here before." I watched a spasm of pain slowly work itself across her face as her eyes flashed around the clearing before settling on me again. She seemed to be pointedly trying to keep from looking around as much as possible.

I gave the clearing a quick glance. It was a nice place, very symmetrical and surrounded by a thicket of murky green woods on all sides. Some small pretty wildflowers of various colours weaved their way through the tall grass, giving the clearing a natural cheerful look. It was a very nice place but Alice and I had rarely come here knowing that it was unspokenly Edward's private clearing.

And suddenly it came to me. This was Edward's clearing. Obviously he had taken Bella here. I must've been sent to haunt Bella with all of her worst nightmares, I couldn't move without doing something that caused her some sort of physical or mental harm, sometimes both at once. I had been trying so hard not to go to somewhere that reminded me of Alice that I had completely disregarded looking for somewhere that was safe for Bella too. I truly was a monster.

"Bella it seems I can't say this enough but I'm very sorry. I forgot that this place might be painful for you."

She tried to shrug while keeping her arms tightly wrapped around her torso. "Oh it's alright Jasper. I know you weren't doing this intentionally. And anyways," She attempted to laugh but it sounded more like strangled sobbing. "It's not really much of a big deal."

I doubted she meant that. She had to have known that I could feel her misery no matter how she tried to shield it on her face. "Would you like me to take you somewhere else?"

She shook her head. "No, it's alright. I was already asking too much of you when you took me here in the first place. I shouldn't be testing your resolve like that." She smiled bravely. "I would be thinking of him no matter where I was anyways so location doesn't matter very much."

In that last statement alone I knew I could no longer fight her desire to come with me. She was so wise, so brave for a human. Though the very fact of her humanity seemed useless now it could possibly be useful at a later date. I crossed the meadow to her side and sank down into the grass, she followed suit as quickly as her human senses could.

I sighed heavily. "Are you sure you want to do this Bella?"

She knew instantly what I was referring to. She shifted so that her muted brown eyes could gaze into my golden ones. I could see the determination flashing in them before she even opened her mouth. "I'm completely and utterly sure Jasper. If I stay here waiting I'll just turn back into that zombie I used to be." She shuddered and I understood completely. I had been a zombie too at one point in my life. "I'm sure there's something I can do to make myself useful, even if it's lending my blood to you for strength." She laughed weakly. "It's all I seem to be good for anyways."

I started to reach a comforting hand toward her but restrained myself. She didn't need my comfort. "Please think it through Bella. It will be very dangerous. You'll have to travel away from Charlie for a long time; you may never see him again."

She paused at the mention of Charlie. "I know I could hurt Charlie..." She chewed on her bottom lip. "But I think it would hurt him more if I stayed. If he saw me turn back into that zombie he feared so much and whither away… it would be worse than him simply thinking I wanted to travel abroad for a while, and if I die then at least he can think I went out the Bella that I always was. This will be better for both of us." She nodded her head again, staring out into the woods now. I turned to gaze into the trees as well, wondering what her human eyes saw of the wood. I could hardly remember much of my human senses aside from the murky memories I held of the few things important to me in my past. They were distant and clouded but somehow my mind managed to cling onto those few images with an urgent ferocity I could no longer remember the origin of.

The companionable silence passed between us for a few moments, eerily soothing and comfortable. It was strange to think that I could sit quietly beside a human and find it soothing but Bella had some inhuman quality about her that made the atmosphere around her habitable.

"What are you thinking about?" She flinched and curled inward on herself for a short moment; it was quite short even for my senses, before righting herself and peeling her eyes away from the woods to look at me. Even without my gift I could tell that my words had somehow wounded her.

"What did I do wrong this time?" She could coexist with vampires so naturally, easy as breathing. She effortlessly tried to make me more comfortable while around her. My experience with her was a bit more of a trial and error. I would have to work hard to know what pushed her buttons if I was to be spending extended travel time with her.

She shook her head and smiled. It almost looked sincere, apart from the tightening around her eyes. "You did nothing wrong Jasper. It's just something Edward used to say to me. I guess my thought process is infuriating to all vampires."

She was wrong on that point. I didn't find her infuriating at all. On the contrary, she was driving me wild with curiosity, almost to the point where I could barely notice her scent tainting the air. I could see how Edward managed to resist her now; her thought process was all consuming. "No Bella, I'm just very curious. You're the most remarkable human I've met in a very long time." I tried to forget the fate of the last remarkable human I had met; it had been long ago, almost long enough to bury it behind other happier memories. She startled me out of my melancholy musings with an answer.

"I was thinking about the last time I came here without Edward. The first time he left me alone." Her smile turned bitter. "I thought if I came here I might hear him again, the way I knew he was rather than the way I remembered. I was here with a vampire last time as well."

My eyes widened. "You were!?"

She nodded, looking confused. "Yes… Didn't Edward tell you?"

"Edward didn't like to talk much about what either of you were up to without the other." I didn't tell her about the one night me and Alice had come to check on her after Edward had left. Her zombie state seemed much too personal to admit having been witness to it. Aside from that one night, her new wolf friends and her short stint in Italy with Alice, I didn't know anything about Bella's time alone.

"I see…" She cocked her head to the side, mulling over what I had told her. Once again the curiosity hovered on my thoughts. She seemed to notice my impatience and laughed softly. "Well last time I came here I had a vampire visitor. Laurent happened to be in the area scouting for Victoria."

The pieces were starting to fit together. "Is that why the wolves had to attack him?" I had known that the wolves had had to destroy Laurent; I just figured he was feeding on their territory. I had always known Laurent would crack eventually, I could feel his deep skepticism at a life without human blood. His longing for the better things in life had sent him running to Denali and his new diet had driven him away almost as quickly.

"Yes, he was originally just scouting things for Victoria but he decided he would be 'merciful' and kill me before she could. The wolves happened to intervene before that could happen." She stared off into the woods again. "I just get the feeling they'll materialize at any moment, like they did last time."

I knew I was a danger but it still stung to be compared to Laurent. His attack on Bella was controlled murder; any attacks of mine were always a complete loss of control. I slumped a little from my former pose, feeling a little defeated.

She picked up on it instantly. "Oh, no, no, no! I didn't mean it like that! I don't think you're going to kill me Jasper!"

I smirked coldly. "Wouldn't I?" It was something I would do. Kill her on her eighteenth birthday; kill her in our own backyard; kill her in Edward's meadow. Was there really any difference between the three?

She opened her mouth, moments away from a response, when my phone began to vibrate in my pocket. I shoved my hand into my jeans, a little annoyed. They couldn't have noticed that Bella and I had vanished that quickly. I flipped the phone around deftly in my hand to check the number.

_Unknown caller._

My already freezing temperature plummeted. Who else could it be? A small hand touched my arm timidly.

"Jasper?"

I forced my head to turn in her direction. She was standing closer than normal, her eyes fixed on the small screen I had been staring at only moments ago. "It's long distance."

She was right; this call was coming from very far away. I held my finger to my lips and gestured towards the ground, as long as her face wasn't near the mouthpiece her breathing shouldn't be very audible. She nodded and settled herself down near my feet. I took a deep steadying breath and flipped the phone open.

"Hello?"

"Jasper! How lovely! You are here! I was worried for a moment you might never answer!" The slick voice of Aro cooed exuberantly into my ear. My hand tightened around my phone, dangerously close to crushing it in the place of Aro but cutting off this call wouldn't bode well for my Alice.

"Well I did answer."

"Oh I know! It's just wonderful!" He chuckled. "But I'm sure you're simply _dying_ to know if the lovely Alice arrived alright. Am I right?"

"_Yes_." My longing and loss poured into my reply, trickling through the cracks in my self control.

Aro giggled gleefully, my sorrow seeming to please him. "Well I was worried initially that this wouldn't go exactly as I had planned you see. I knew Edward would be a given but I wasn't sure how we would be able to get Alice to see our way of thinking. I'm just so glad she has you Jasper! Without you none of this would've worked!"

Once again I was the liability; I was Alice's only weakness. I had thought that by being with her I could be her strength, that after she had healed the gaping wounds in my soul I could defend her from anything that might try to harm her but I was the one thing that caused her to willingly subject herself to harm. I was her contradictory strength; I was just a poorly executed charade.

Aro carried on as if I had replied graciously to his twisted praise. "She arrived safely of course, the guard made sure of it. She and your charming brother Edward are perfectly safe and sound… actually I could let her talk to you if you'd like, she seems quite eager… would you like to?"

My still heart leapt into my throat. "I would like to speak to her."

Aro laughed. "Of course you would! Are you at home?"

"No."

"Well if I were you I would be heading in that direction, we'll be making a call there shortly and I would hate for you to miss it. I hope your family has been properly informed Jasper. We'll be talking to you soon. Ta ta!" I flicked the phone closed and had it back in my pocket before Aro could even disconnect the line. I glanced down at Bella with wild eyes, debating how much time I had to share this new information.

"Jasper? What did the Volturi want?"

"Bella we have to get back to the house as soon as possible. I promise I will explain everything as soon as there's time but for now I just need you to listen to me. Alright?" My words were barely slow enough to be understood but somehow she still managed to.

She nodded. "What would you like me to do?"

"Just don't say anything to the family. Sit quietly and pretend you're too sad to talk."

She smiled. "I _am_ too sad to talk."

In spite of the urgency of the situation I managed a small smile. "Okay, now hold on tight." I scooped her onto my back in one fluid motion and was off running in the next. Our verbal exchange had taken maybe two minutes; we didn't have much more time to waste. I didn't know how much time Aro meant by 'soon' and I wasn't willing to risk finding out the hard way.

I leaped neatly over the river and dropped Bella off near the edge. "I'm heading inside now Bella, follow after me at a walk." She nodded as I shot off towards the back door. As soon as I gasped the handle the phone began a shrill wail. I took a steadying breath; I would have to be ready for any sign of hesitation on my family's part. One moment of doubt, one sign of distrust in me and it would all be over for Alice.

I turned the handle slowly, in an attempt to hide my urgency, and entered the room.


End file.
